购置 (gòu zhì) — to purchase (large or durable items, such as property, equipment, or furniture)

Definition

购置 is a formal/written verb meaning 'to purchase' large, durable items (property, equipment, furniture). Stronger and more official in register than the everyday verb 买.

verb
to purchase (large or durable items, such as property, equipment, or furniture)

Examples

  • 购置。
    Gōng sī zuì jìn gòu zhì le yì pī xīn shè bèi.
    The company recently purchased a batch of new equipment.
  • 购置。
    Tā men jiā qù nián gòu zhì le yí tào fáng zi.
    Their family purchased an apartment last year.
  • 购置。
    Tóu zī gòu zhì gù dìng zī chǎn xū yào jǐn shèn kǎo lǜ.
    Purchasing fixed assets as investments requires careful consideration.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

购gòubuy
置zhìacquire

购 (buy) and 置 (acquire) together mean purchasing goods.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 購; 购 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
貝貝bèishellfish
Sound part声符shēngfú
冓
冓gòu購gòu
Same sound today

The traditional form 購 pairs 貝, a shellfish, with 冓, which gives the sound; the simplified 购 is a later shorthand.

Open 购 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
罒Written in full as网wǎng
Sound part声符shēngfú
直
直zhí置zhì
Same sound today

置 is built from 罒, a net, on top and 直 below; 直 gives the sound.

Open 置 →

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